Canvases are just one idea to use when making jewelry art. What I like about them is:
- a blank canvas lets us create ’unique to us’ art- we can design a heart, a house, a pattern, or whatever we choose
- a blank canvas opens the door to many possibilities- we could paint the background, paint a scene, or decoupage paper on before adding jewelry
- they come in various sizes- so we can tailor our art to fit tiny canvases or giant ones
- they can be hung or can sit on a shelf/table- that makes them versatile when thinking ahead to where they might go, especially if a piece is for a gift
- they come in shapes other than rectangle and square- some places offer canvas circles, hexagons, and triangles adding to the ’one of a kind-ness’ of what we can make
I do love canvases, but I always have my eye out for other things to use as well. Because I occasionally do local craft shows, I like to get pieces that I can reuse and recycle that will help fill up my booth space.
For instance, I got these 3 decorative plates at a local online auction for $5. They are handmade ceramic and dated 1982. I plan to add some paint details to the sepia tones, then add some sparkly jewels.
These decorative shelves came from another online auction. They were 2 for $7. I’m going to sand, remove the bows, repaint, and add jewelry to them. No one bid on them but me, which tells me the style is outdated. A little paint and bling could make them super cute!
When I bought these chairs, they were a worn-out-brownish-gray color. I got them at a local shop, for $5 each. They didn’t look like much. I painted them and added the fabric ties and flowers. To finish, I’m going to decoupage paper (it’s just taped now) onto the seats and add a little bit of jewelry.
Pieces of wood can make some cool things. I took 2 shelves out of an old cabinet and used them. I sold one, here is the other:
A friend gave me this frame to use for jewelry art. Frames are great for gluing jewelry on. They can also be painted.
Other reuse and recycle items for jewelry art ideas could be:
- outdated wall hangings that could be repainted and used
- mason jars can be painted and flowers and jewelry can be glued on
- jewelry boxes or wooden boxes can be fun to update
- flower pots
- birdhouses
- wreaths
- even craft foam like balls or cones- can be fancied up by hot gluing jewelry onto them
The idea behind this post is to try to get us thinking outside the ’canvas only’ box. Maybe look around your space for things you’d like to makeover and add jewelry to. That can be a good starting point into this type of jewelry art.
Thank you for reading. Hope your Monday is great.
Jessica
Jeweled Again By Jessica 
38 responses to “Surfaces for Jewelry Art”
These are such great ideas! I can’t wait to see how those plates turn out!
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Hi! Thank you so much. I think those plates will be very pretty. I’m still in Iowa, but when I get home, I’m going to start them. 🙂
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Nice! I can’t wait to see photos!
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Thank you. You’re really nice.
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I can’t wait to see what you do with the plates!
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Hey, thanks so much!! I feel like they need some color. Like it will just make them absolutely so pretty.
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Can’t wait to see what you do with the plates. Don’t forget to show us when they’re finished. I’m such an “in-the-box” thinker. LOL Your blog helps me expand.
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I’d love to show you when they’re finished. I wish I would’ve brought them up here to dad’s. My momma’s craft room has lots of paints… I’m excited about those plates. It is kind of hard to imagine them looking differently- they just look kind of brown. Thank you for saying my blog helps you expand. Yours does the same for me with hiking. 🙂
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You are very inspiring. I vote for more before/after pictures of your art and projects. Before and after pictures are extremely popular! I love the lady with the flower (from the shelf) – great textures! And I can’t wait to see what you do with the plates. I love those scenes!
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Hi. That’s incredibly sweet. Thank you so much. I was thinking about maybe doing before and afters of these projects, so I love your vote!! Thank you- the sunflower skirt is one of my favorite pieces I’ve done. Love what you said about the plates! I cannot wait to do those! I need to restock my paint supply. I think they’re going to be so pretty and unique. I plan to paint that bird a soft blue, add grass details, barns will get some red, some sunsets behind the scenes, and color to her baskets. I told my husband that since they’ve been sepia for 40+ years, they deserve a little color! Thank you for saying I am inspiring. Can’t tell you how much that means!!
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What a fun world you live in! 😊
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Hi! That makes me smile SO B I G!!! ❤️❤️❤️
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Yay!! 😁
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Hey, I also wanted to let you know that I finally left a review for your book! I’ve NEVER left an Amazon review before……. And, I purchased your Forthcoming book! ❤️💗💜
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I am beyond grateful that you did that. Thank you, sweet Jessica. I know how busy life is – I truly appreciate your support. I will add it to my Being a Woman review page by the weekend. Enjoy your creative day! 💖
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Thanks so much. And, you’re welcome. 💜
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I finished your Forthcoming book last night. Oh my gosh, “Her Hands”!!!!!!!!! Loveeeeeeee that one so much!!! ❤️❤️❤️ And, your bio at the end says ‘teacher.’ What kind of teacher are you, if you don’t mind my asking?
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I am delighted that connect with that one. That is a special one. Written in honor of my Aunt Lee who was incredibly talented and loving. She was a second mom to me. Gone too soon… she passed a few days after her 50th birthday. I miss her every day. 💞 I taught high school English for many years and Eng classes through community college. I now work with the author of The Story You Need to Tell, teaching online writing workshops. Thank you for asking! I am taking a break thru summer, but I also teach a dance fusion class. 💃🏻 I am a teacher at heart. 💗 Have a lovely day!
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Oh no, 50 was way too soon. Hugs for that. I love that poem so very much. Sometimes I think women don’t think they do enough and what a glorious reminder to look at all the things our hands actually do. Like every day. Pretty phenomenal really. ❤️ I wondered if you were an English teacher. The poems, readings, and bookshelves. I haven’t heard of The Story You Need to Tell. I’ll look that up. Love workshops! Wow, a dance class, too? How fun!!!
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It means a lot to me that you understand and appreciate the sentiment of that special poem. Thank you very much, Jessica. 💗 How fun, yes! 💃🏻
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You’re very welcome. 🌻
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For anyone reading these comments, Michele has poetry books on Amazon. They’re also on sale! $3.33 💗
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Thank you, Jessica. You are the sweetest! 💖
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Right back at you!! And, you’re welcome. 💕
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Ok wow! Love it all! Mostly the girl with the sunflower….wow for real! Blown away! Great job imagining that! 🥰🥰
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Hi!! Thank you so much. The inspiration for that one is I want to design clothes- skirts in particular. I have a whole sketch pad full of skirts and dresses I want to make. I didn’t know how to sew it, so I made it in paint and paper. I’ve made some really cool outfits in paper art. But, Y O U have inspired me to get out my sewing machine!!! Maybe I will get to design my skirts out of fabric after all! I told my husband tonight that you’ve inspired me to get my sewing machine back out and he was like, “Cool!!!” ❤️❤️❤️
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Yay!!! I’m so happy! I’d love to see your drawings! Watch a little bit of Jenna, she inspired me…. https://youtu.be/P0ScqstqMiI
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Ok, cool. Thank you for the link!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Trying to see if this posts….Jenna’s link above…she inspired me! YAY, so glad for you & I’d loooove to see some if your skirt drawings! 🥰
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It linked. ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you so much! A couple of years ago, I was designing a line of pretty chore clothes for women. At the time I had chickens and ducks and I wanted something functional but pretty to wear while I fed and watered them. The ideas and designs never left the paper, but your sewing posts rekindled a spark I had for wanting to get back at it, thank you. 😍💕❤️
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Awesome!!!! You will!!!! 💜
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Thank you for your support in art and sewing adventures! 🌻🌻🌻
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Of course!!! That’s what we do!!!!!
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Indeed! ❤️
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💗💗💗💗🥰🥰🥰🥰
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❤️💗💜❤️💗💜❤️💗
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I like the various textures in the piece made from an old shelf.
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Hi. Hope you are having a wonderful day. Thanks. It was actually my grandma’s old cabinet that had those two shelves. I kept that one and my friend got the other one for her daughter. It was fun to add the doilies. I hadn’t tried that before. I appreciate your comment, thank you.
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